Didgeridoo dude due: Shane Philip plays Miner's Hall this weekend
By Contributor
Multi-instrumentalist Shane Philip is known worldwide for his dynamic didgeridoo-infused music. Philip has been touring constantly for the past few years now. His rhythmic and intoxicating sounds are powerful enough to fill a room with dancing fans and soulful enough to quiet a packed house.
Those songs have captured audiences for years in Canada, particularly along the west coast, but for the past five years, he’s captured listeners around the globe.
He released Earthshake in 2006, introducing his unique sound and creating a small following almost instantly. By 2008, he released In the Moment, which showed further that he could seamlessly blend folk, reggae and blues genres into his own creation. The title track of this album is one of his best works to date. The tracks include the occasional surf beats that made him stand out to me.
He followed this impressive project with Live at Baker Studios in 2009.
Heavier on the blues side, this album had more of the grit that comes out during Philip’s live shows, which was essential for anyone who had never been to a performance.
Philip is a one-man force on stage. His feet wildly work his drum kit while he plays guitar, the aslatua, the djembe and, of course, his didgeridoos. His best work to date definitely came last year when he released Life Love Music. The album is rich with vocals and features much more of that mesmerizing sound that Shane Philip is so well known for.
Philip hooked up once again with producer Joby Baker (Cowboy Junkies, Alex Cuba) and the two collaborated for what is another memorable product. Baker often plays bass and drums on the tracks and the two took a total of eight days to record. Might sound quick, but Philip is known for completing his projects quickly. The Baker Studios album took two days, as an example. The result, though, of taking the extra time is a wonderfully polished recording that maintains the grit and integrity of Philip’s compositions.
SHANE PHILIP with Five Horse Death, Saturday February 11 at the Miners’ Hall in Rossland. Doors at 9:00pm. Show starts at 11:00pm. Tix: $20. This concert is a Rossland Skate Park Fundraiser.
